1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ink cartridge for storing ink to be supplied to a printer head, the ink cartridge being connectable to a needle-like hollow connecting member so as to supply ink to the printer head. The invention also relates to an ink jet printer using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional ink jet printer jets ink droplets out from a nozzle opening of a printer head to record an image on a recording medium, such as printing paper. Further, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the printer head can be exchanged.
In such a conventional ink cartridge, a needle-like, hollow connector is connected to an ink supplying section so as to store ink to be supplied to a printer head and supply the ink to the printer head.
Such an ink cartridge is generally exchanged in a state that ink is charged into the printer head. When the ink is introduced in the exchange of the ink cartridge, the ink remaining inside an ink passage bubbles up and new ink collides with the remaining ink. As a result, the problems are caused that the ink is bubbled more easily, and the number of bubbles remaining inside the printer head and the ink passage extending to the printer head is greater than the case where ink is initially introduced in a state that the printer head is empty and has no ink.
In order to exchange the ink cartridge, the ink cartridge can be taken off, and then purging treatment for making empty can be carried out. Subsequently, a new cartridge can be fitted onto the printer. However, such a process requires very much labor and time, and is troublesome.